fh.godemperorofdune-第31部分

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e　wide。　Antique　Fremen　rugs　decorated　the　walls；　their　bright　patterns　worked　in　jewels　and　precious　metals；　all　bined　in　weavings　of　priceless　spice…fibers。　The　dull　reds　of　which　the　Old　Fremen　had　been　so　fond　predominated。　The　chamber's　floor　was　mostly　transparent；　a　setting　for　exotic　fishes　worked　in　radiant　crystal。　Beneath　the　floor　flowed　a　stream　of　clear　blue　water；　all　of　its　moisture　sealed　away　from　the　audience　chamber；　but　excitingly　near　Leto；　who　rested　on　a　padded　elevation　at　the　end　of　the　room　opposite　the　door。
　His　first　view　of　Hwi　Noree　revealed　a　remarkable　likeness　to　her　Uncle　Malky；　but　her　grave　movements　and　the　calmness　of　her　stride　were　equally　remarkable　in　their　difference　from　Malky。　She　did　have　that　dark　skin；　though；　the　oval　face　with　its　regular　features。　Placid　brown　eyes　stared　back　at　Leto。　And　where　Malky's　hair　had　been　gray；　hers　was　a　luminous　brown。　Hwi　Noree　radiated　an　inner　peace　which　Leto　sensed　spreading　its　influence　around　her　as　she　approached。　She　stopped　ten　paces　away；　below　him。　There　was　a　classical　balance　about　her；　something　not　accidental。
　With　growing　excitement；　Leto　realized　a　betrayal　of　lxian　machinations　in　the　new　Ambassador。　They　were　well　along　in　their　own　program　to　breed　selected　types　for　specific　functions。　Hwi　Noree's　function　was　distressingly　obvious…to　charm　the　God　Emperor；　to　find　a　chink　in　his　armor。
　Despite　this；　as　the　meeting　progressed；　Leto　found　himself　truly　enjoying　her　pany。　Hwi　Noree　stood　in　a　puddle　of　daylight　which　was　guided　into　the　chamber　by　a　system　of　Ixian　prisms。　The　light　filled　Leto's　end　of　the　chamber　with　glowing　gold　which　centered　on　the　Ambassador。　dimming　behind　the　God　Emperor　where　stood　a　short　line　of　Fish　Speaker　guards…twelve　women　chosen　for　their　inability　to　hear　or　speak。
　Hwi　Noree　wore　a　simple　gown　of　purple　ambiel　decorated　only　by　a　silver　necklace　pendant　stamped　with　the　symbol　of　IX。　Soft　sandals　the　color　of　her　gown　peeked　from　beneath　her　hem。
　〃Are　you　aware；〃　Leto　asked　her；　〃that　I　killed　one　of　your　ancestors？〃
　She　smiled　softly。　〃My　Uncle　Malky　included　that　information　in　my　early　training；　Lord。〃
　As　she　spoke；　Leto　realized　that　part　of　her　education　had　been　conducted　by　the　Bene　Gesserit。　She　had　their　way　of　controlling　her　responses；　of　sensing　the　undertones　in　a　conversation。　He　could　see；　however；　that　the　Bene　Gesserit　overlay　had　been　a　delicate　thing；　never　penetrating　the　basic　sweetness　of　her　nature。
　〃You　were　told　that　I　would　introduce　this　subject；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　Lord。　I　know　that　my　ancestor　had　the　temerity　to　bring　a　weapon　here　in　the　attempt　to　harm　you。〃
　〃As　did　your　immediate　predecessor。　Were　you　told　that；　as　well？〃
　〃　I　did　not　learn　it　until　my　arrival；　Lord。　They　were　fools！　Why　did　you　spare　my　predecessor？〃
　〃When　I　did　not　spare　your　ancestor？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　〃Kobat；　your　predecessor；　was　more　valuable　to　me　as　a　messenger。〃
　〃Then　they　told　me　the　truth；〃　she　said。　Again　…；h。…　smiled。　〃One　cannot　always　depend　on　hearing　truth　from　lone'；　associates　and　superiors。〃
　The　response　was　so　utterly　open　that　Leto　could　not　suppress　a　chuckle。　Even　as　he　laughed；　he　realized　that　this　young　woman　still　possessed　the　Mind　of　First　Awakening；　the　elemental　mind　which　came　in　the　first　shock　of　birth…awareness。　She　was　alive！〃Then　you　do　not　hold　it　against　me　that　I　killed　your　ancestor？〃　he　asked。
　〃He　tried　to　assassinate　you！　I　am　told　you　crushed　him；　Lord；　with　your　own　body。〃
　〃True。〃
　〃And　next　you　turned　his　weapon　against　your　own　Holy　Self　to　demonstrate　that　the　weapon　was　ineffectual。。。and　it　was　the　best　lasgun　we　lxians　could　make。〃
　〃The　witnesses　reported　correctly；〃　Leto　said。
　And　he　thought：　Which　shows　how　much　you　can　depend　on　witnesses！　As　a　matter　of　historical　accuracy；　he　knew　that　he　had　turned　the　lasgun　only　against　his　ribbed　body；　not　against　hands；　face　or　flippers。　The　pre…worm　body　possessed　a　remarkable　capacity　for　absorbing　heat。　The　chemical　factory　within　him　converted　heat　to　oxygen。
　〃I　never　doubted　the　story；〃　she　said。
　〃Why　has　Ix　repeated　this　foolish　gesture？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃They　have　not　told　me；　Lord。　Perhaps　Kobat　took　it　onto　himself　to　behave　this　way。〃
　〃I　think　not。　It　has　occurred　to　me　that　your　people　desired　only　the　death　of　their　chosen　assassin。〃
　〃The　death　of　Kobat？〃
　〃No；　the　death　of　the　one　they　chose　to　use　the　weapon。〃
　〃Who　was　that；　Lord？　I've　not　been　told。〃
　〃It's　unimportant。　Do　you　recall　what　I　said　at　the　time　of　your　ancestor's　foolishness？〃
　〃You　threatened　terrible　punishment　should　such　violence　ever　again　enter　our　thoughts。〃　She　lowered　her　gaze；　but　not　before　Leto　glimpsed　a　deep　determination　in　her　eyes。　She　would　use　the　best　of　her　abilities　to　blunt　his　wrath。
　〃I　promised　that　none　of　you　would　escape　my　anger；〃　Leto　said。
　She　jerked　her　attention　up　to　his　face。　〃Yes；　Lord。〃　And　now　her　manner　revealed　personal　fear。
　〃None　can　escape　me；　not　even　the　futile　colony　you've　recently　planted　at。　。　〃　And　Leto　reeled　off　for　her　the　standard　chart　coordinates　of　a　new　colony　the　lxians　had　planted　secretly　far　beyond　what　they　thought　were　the　reaches　of　his　Empire。
　She　betrayed　no　surprise。　〃Lord；　I　think　it　was　because　I　warned　them　you　would　know　of　this　that　I　was　chosen　as　Ambassador。〃
　Leto　studied　her　more　carefully。　What　have　we　here：'　he　wondered。　Her　observation　had　been　subtle　and　penetrating。　The　lxians。　he　knew；　had　thought　distance　and　enormously　magnified　transportation　costs　would　insulate　the　new　colony。　Hwi　Noree　thought　not　and　had　said　so。　But　she　believed　her　masters　had　chosen　her　as　Ambassador　because　of　this…a　ment　on　the　Ixian　caution。　They　thought　they　had　a　friend　at　court　here；　but　one　who　also　would　he　seen　as　Leto's　friend。　He　nodded　as　the　pattern　took　shape。　Quite　early　in　his　ascendancy　he　had　revealed　to　the　lxians　the　exact　location　of　the　supposedly　secret　Ixian　Core；　the　heartland　of'　the　technological　federation　which　they　governed。　It　had　been　a　secret　the　lxians　thought　safe　because　they　paid　gigantic　bribes　for　it　to　the　Spacing　Guild。　Leto　had　winkled　them　out　by　prescient　observation　and　deduction…and　by　consulting　his　memories；　where　there　were　more　than　a　few　lxians。
　At　the　time；　Leto　had　warned　the　lxians　that　he　would　punish　them　if　they　acted　against　him。　They　had　responded　with　consternation　and　accused　the　Guild　of　betraying　them。　This　had　amused　Leto　and　he　had　responded　with　such　a　burst　of　laughter　that　the　lxians　were　abashed。　He　had　then　informed　them　in　a　cold　and　accusatory　tone　that　he　had　no　need　of'　spies　or　traitors　or　other　ordinary　trappings　of　government。
　Did　they　not　believe　he　was　a　god？
　For　a　time　thereafter；　the　lxians　were　responsive　to　his　requests。　Leto　had　not　abused　the　relationship。　His　demands　were　modest…a　machine　for　this；　a　device　for　that。　He　would　state　his　needs　and　presently　the　lxians　would　deliver　the　required　technological　toy。　Only　once　had　they　tried　to　deliver　a　violent　instrument　into　one　of　his　machines。　He　had　slain　the　entire　Ixian　delegation　before　they　could　even　unwrap　the　thing。
　Hwi　Noree　waited　patiently　while　Leto　mused。　Not　the　slightest　sign　of　impatience　surfaced。
　Beautiful；　he　thought。
　In　view　of　his　long　association　with　the　lxians；　this　new　stance　sent　the　juices　coursing　through　Leto's　body。　Ordinarily；　the　passions；　crises　and　necessities　which　had　produced　and　impelled　him　burned　low。　He　often　felt　that　he　had　outlived　his　times。　But　the　presence　of　a　Hwi　Noree　said　he　was　needed。　This　pleased　him。　Leto　felt　that　it　might　even　be　possible　that　the　Ixians　had　achieved　a　partial　success　with　their　machine　to　amplify　the　linear　prescience　of　a　Guild　navigator。　A　small　blip　in　the　flow　of　great　events　might　have　escaped　him。　Could　they　really　make　such　a　machine？　What　a　marvel　that　would　be'　Purposefully；　he　refused　to　use　his　powers　for　even　the　smallest　search　through　this　possibility。
　wish　to　be　surprised。'
　Leto　smiled　benignly　at　Hwi。　〃How　have　they　prepared　you　to　woo　me？〃　he　asked。
　She　did　not　blink。　〃I　was　provided　with　a　set　of　memorized　responses　for　particular　exigencies；〃　she　said。　〃I　learned　them　as　I　was　required；　but　I　do　not　intend　to　use　them。〃
　Which　is　exactly　what　they　want；　Leto　thought。
　〃Tell　your　masters；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　precisely　the　right　kind　of　bait　to　dangle　in　front　of　me。〃
　She　bowed　her　head。　〃If　it　pleases　my　Lord。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do。〃
　He　indulged　himself　then　in　a　small　temporal　probe　to　examine　Hwi's　immediate　future；　tracing　the　threads　of　her　past　through　this。　Hwi　appeared　in　a　fluid　future；　a　current　whose　movements　were　susceptible　to　many　deflections。　She　would　know　Siona　in　only　a　casual　way　unless。。。Questions　flowed　through　Leto's　mind。　A　Guild　steersman　was　advising　the　lxians　and　he　obviously　had　detected　Siona's　disturbance　in　the　temporal　fabric。　Did　the　steersman　really　believe　he　could　provide　security　against　the　God　Emperor's　detection？
　The　temporal　probe　took　several　minutes；　but　Hwi　did　not　fidget。　Leto　looked　at　her　carefully。　She　seemed　timeless　outside　of　time　in　a　deeply　peaceful　way。　He　had　never　before